Ex-Barcelona great Xavi was linked with Dortmund job prior to Kovač - BILD | OneFootball

Late into 2025, former club legend Nuri Sahin was dismissed as coach of Borussia Dortmund, with Niko Kovač announced as his successor days later.

However, it has now been revealed that BVB officials actually wanted to hire a completely different candidate which has been revealed by Germany's leading tabloid.

BILD journalist Christian Falk reports that BVB considered Xavi as a possible successor after Sahin's last outing in a 2-1 defeat to Bologna in the Champions League.

At the time, the Spaniard expressed general interest in the Dortmund job while an agency negotiated between the Bundesliga club and the former FC Barcelona coach.

The interest is said to have gone so far that Xavi has already taken a close look at the Black and Yellows' squad at the time.

According to the report, plans for possible squad restructuring were already on the Spaniard's mind, but the Westphalians ultimately ended up with Kovač.